Powering Ghana’s Energy Future: Skills Bridge Ghana Trains 50 Professionals In Solar Technology
The Skills Bridge Ghana Foundation LBG (SBGF) has launched a high-impact solar energy technology training programme for 50 industry professionals as part of efforts to bridge Ghana’s growing green skills deficit.
The programme, being held at the Applied Technology Institute (ATI) in East Legon, brought together key stakeholders, technical experts and industry leaders to address the increasing demand for reliable power amid a shortage of certified local technicians.
The Foundation, formerly known as the STEM Parrot Foundation, is operating from the Ghana TVET Service headquarters building and is working with government and international partners to scale up green workforce development.
Delivering the keynote address, Founder and Executive Director of SBGF, Charles Agyemang Prempeh, who is also the Sunyani Benkum Adontenhene and a member of the Sunyani Traditional Council, said Ghana’s energy workforce must be urgently transformed to meet future demand.
He noted that while local power demand is expanding by about 10 per cent annually, the country continues to face a profound deficit in solar energy engineering, system maintenance and advanced photovoltaic integration.
“While advanced economies in Europe and North America aggressively finance comprehensive green workforce transitions to future-proof their labor markets, developing nations risk importing expensive physical hardware without the local human capital to maintain it,” Mr. Prempeh stated.
He said funding physical infrastructure without investing in people is short-sighted, citing reports from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Mr. Prempeh said SBGF is steered by a seasoned team of board members and technical experts drawn from academia and industry, and its workforce mapping initiatives and policy frameworks have earned formal recognition and backing from the Office of the President of Ghana (Reference: SCR/DA222/222/01/B).
As part of its national agenda, the Foundation is working with government to support the flagship 24-Hour Economy policy through targeted capacity-building programmes.
It is also collaborating with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment and Development and the National Youth Authority (NYA) to train youth in solar energy and waste management — alignments that advance shared European Union-Ghana green partnership agendas.
Mr. Prempeh said the Foundation is positioning itself as an institutional bridge connecting academic training centres with industry demands and prospective employers.
He acknowledged key institutional partnerships with Accra Technical University and Germany’s RELEVATE gUG, and paid special tribute to the Principal of the Applied Technology Institute, Ing. Emmanuel Kotey Ashie, for his support in making the training possible.
“Partnering with your esteemed institution is both a privilege and a powerful testament to what we can achieve together,” he said, noting that the specialized training will equip local technicians to meet national standards, reduce technical failures and accelerate the green transition.
He also expressed gratitude to international supporters Leyden Education UK for their logistical backing.
Addressing the engineers and technicians in attendance, Mr. Prempeh urged professionals to embrace rapid technological shifts, upskill and secure formal certifications to stay competitive.
“To industry stakeholders and government leaders: the time to invest heavily in solar training is now. Solar technology is no longer an alternative — it is the core driver of our emerging energy economy,” he said.
He pledged that SBGF will continue to scale up its interventions to secure Ghana’s sustainable energy future.
